Let the Bullets Fly

Be the first to write a review

Overview

Two crooks with secrets up their sleeves battle for control of a Chinese town in this action comedy. It's the era of the Chinese warlords in the 1920s, and the new governor of Goosetown (Feng Xiaogang) is taking the train into town with his wife (Carina Lau) and right-hand man Tang (Ge You). However, a handful of bandits led by Pocky Zhang (Jiang Wen) want to capture the train, and the explosion they set proves bigger than they expected and the new governor is killed. Pocky realizes no one in Goosetown has seen ...
See more details below
Blu-ray (Wide Screen)
$17.99
BN.com price
(Save 40%)$29.99 List Price
Pick Up In Store

Pick Up In Store

Reserve and pick up in 60 minutes at your local store

Other sellers (Blu-ray)
  • All (18) from $5.01   
  • New (16) from $12.26   
  • Used (2) from $5.01   
Note: This item does not qualify for coupons or promotional discounts unless expressly stated.

More About This Product

Overview

Two crooks with secrets up their sleeves battle for control of a Chinese town in this action comedy. It's the era of the Chinese warlords in the 1920s, and the new governor of Goosetown (Feng Xiaogang) is taking the train into town with his wife (Carina Lau) and right-hand man Tang (Ge You). However, a handful of bandits led by Pocky Zhang (Jiang Wen) want to capture the train, and the explosion they set proves bigger than they expected and the new governor is killed. Pocky realizes no one in Goosetown has seen the new governor, so he decides to take his place, and the dead governor's wife and Tang are forced to play along. Meanwhile in Goosetown, Huang (Chow Yun-Fat) is a powerful criminal who deals in slaves and opium; he's convinced one of his many enemies will kill him, so he employs a simple-minded local man who looks exactly like him (also played by Chow Yun-Fat) to serve as his decoy. When Pocky arrives in town, he goes out of his way to make friends with his new "constituents," and Huang sees he has a powerful rival for the loyalties of the community. The rivalry between Pocky and Huang escalates into a shooting war, though Huang doesn't know Pocky isn't the real governor and Pocky doesn't realize there's more than one Huang. Let the Bullets Fly was a massive box-office success in China, becoming the top-grossing domestic release of all time upon its release in 2010.
Read More Show Less

Special Features

Trailers
Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Jason Buchanan
Originally released in China in December 2010, Jiang Wen's Let the Bullets Fly achieved the momentous feat of becoming that country's highest-grossing domestic release ever. With its playful humor, colorful performances, and competent direction, the film does display a degree of quirky charm that survives the translation; unfortunately for Westerners, much of the nuance that made this historical action comedy such a rousing success at home simply doesn't play well for English-speaking viewers unfamiliar with the language and customs of Chinese culture. For a largely dialogue-driven action comedy that's much lighter on gunplay than the title and frenetic trailers would suggest, this may not be a major distraction for audiences who speak the language, though all others should be advised to proceed with caution. South China: 1919. It's the era of warlords, and Goose Town is about to receive a new governor. But as his train charges through the countryside, benevolent bandit leader Pocky Zhang Wen launches a surprise ambush from the hills. In the ensuing chaos, the governor's counselor is accidentally killed, leaving the official Ge You and his wife Carina Lau the sole survivors. But the governor hasn't exactly earned his new post by being a strong leader, and he quickly forges a partnership with Pocky in which the bandit will pose as the new governor in order to scam Goose Town out of some serious money. The one factor Zhang and the governor failed to account for, however, is the wealthy and powerful Master Huang Chow Yun-Fat. A merciless crime boss disguised as a respectable businessman, Master Huang has no intention of ceding control of Goose Town, which he rules with an iron fist; in addition, his paranoia has driven him to hire a look-alike in a desperate bid to avoid assassination. From the moment Pocky and his crew arrive in Goose Town, Master Huang senses that his rule is about to be challenged. And he's right, because Huang, Pocky, and the rightful governor are soon engaged in a violent struggle for power and untold wealth. The plot for Let the Bullets Fly has all of the necessary ingredients for a rollicking Western filled with great action and lively humor. And by opening the film with an exciting train robbery executed with energy, wit, and style, Wen gets us primed for an exceptionally fun action comedy. Almost immediately after that, however, something unexpected happens. The action comes to a standstill for nearly an hour, and the plot is delivered with such rapid-fire dialogue that it's difficult for English speakers to keep pace with the flickering subtitles. As a result, it feels as if much of the plot's nuance and a good portion of the comedic dialogue's delivery are lost in translation. Fortunately, Yun-Fat is a joy to watch as both the evil Master Huang and his dim-witted doppelganger. His performance goes a long way in making the extended, action-free segments a bit more bearable. And though Wen's direction overall is stylish and competent, the action sequences in Let the Bullets Fly are surprisingly pedestrian. The score, by composer Joe Hisaishi Sonatine, Spirited Away, however, does a commendable job of fusing Eastern and Western sensibilities in a manner that perfectly complements the film's more sweeping moments. There's nothing quite like the feeling of getting caught up in a compelling story and realizing you're absolutely riveted despite having little or no cultural reference points to fall back on. It can be invigorating, exciting, and refreshingly unique. With that in mind, Let the Bullets Fly seems to have been made for a fairly specific audience -- and the fact that it performed so well in China obviously says something about the quality of the talent that went into producing this lighthearted yarn. If only there were a bit more for Western audiences to latch on to, perhaps we'd be able to actually enjoy the film, rather than simply appreciate it.
Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • Release Date: 4/24/2012
  • UPC: 812491012987
  • Original Release: 2010

    • Rating:

  • Source: Well Go Usa
  • Region Code: 0
  • Presentation: Wide Screen
  • Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
  • Language: English, Mandarin
  • Time: 2:12:00
  • Format: Blu-ray
  • Sales rank: 31,627

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Chow Yun-Fat The Godfather
Jiang Wen The Governor
Ge You The Counselor
Hu Jun The Fake
Carina Lau The Mistress
Zhou Yun The Hooker
Chen Kun The Enforcer
Yao Lu The Butler
Jiang Wu The Martial Scholar
Bai Bing The Courtesan
Hu Ming The Noodle Vendor
Shao Bing Number Two
Liao Fan Number Three
John Do Number Four
Li Jing Number Five
Zhang Mo Number Six
Wei Xiao Number Seven
Feng Xiaogang The Dead Counselor
Miao Pu The Wife
Technical Credits
Jiang Wen Director, Screenwriter
Albert Lee Producer
Li Bukong Screenwriter
Zhao Fei Cinematographer
Zhao Haicheng Producer
Joe Hisaishi Score Composer
Yin Homber Producer
Guo Junli Screenwriter
Ma Ke Executive Producer, Producer
Shu Ping Screenwriter
Han Sanping Executive Producer
Zhu Sujin Screenwriter
Barbie Tung Producer
Wei Xiaon Screenwriter
Albert Yeung Executive Producer
Read More Show Less

Scene Index

Disc #1 -- Let the Bullets Fly
1. Let the Bullets Fly Awhile [7:32]
2. Love and Forbearance [5:53]
3. Justice! Justice! And Bloody Justice! [7:24]
4. What Should I Be Then? [5:03]
5. I Only Had One Bowl Of Jelly [4:52]
6. Let's Go and Meet Your New Friend [5:24]
7. Your Leg, Is My Life! [10:09]
8. My Two Diamonds! [8:41]
9. The Game Is Over! [7:06]
10. I Won't Leave Without Money [3:14]
11. What a Charming Threesome [4:08]
12. You Are My True Savior [8:19]
13. You Are Now A Bandit [7:03]
14. I'm the Real Ma Bandge! [5:46]
15. We're Ambushed! [5:52]
16. Back to Goose Town [9:19]
17. Guns in My Hand, Follow by Lead! [6:49]
18. The Hat Was Great [7:56]
19. End Credits [8:28]
Read More Show Less

Menu

Disc #1 -- Let the Bullets Fly
   Play Feature
   Scene Selection
   Set Up
      Audio
         Mandarin Dolby Digital 5.1
         Mandarin Dolby Digital 2.0
         English Dolby Digital 5.1
         English Dolby Digital 2.0
      English Subtitles: On/Off
         English Subtitles: On
         English Subtitles: Off
   Trailers
      Original Trailer
      Teaser
      Trailer
Read More Show Less

Customer Reviews

Be the first to write a review
( 0 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(0)

4 Star

(0)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously